UFCThe Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts organization, recognized as the largest MMA promotion in the world. The UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada and is owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC. This promotion is responsible for solidifying the sport's postion in the history-books.
UFC is currently undergoing a remarkable surge in popularity, along with greater mainstream media coverage. UFC programming can now be seen on FOX, FX, and FUEL TV in the United States, as well as in 35 other countries worldwide.

Now I have been following the UFC for about 18-24 months and I like Matt Hughes (ahh shock horror etc) He is always called the 9 time champion but he has had roughly 18 fights in the Octagon has lost two or three and successfully defended his belt 5 times in a row.

Does he keep giving up the belt so he can take it back? Whats going on WIkipedia(the source of all knowledge)has said he has won the WW belt twice.

Can someone how has been following the sport longer help me understand the 9 time champion thing. My quick research indicates he has not won the belt 9 times but I may be wrong.

He won the belt in 2001 when he beat Carlos Newton for the first time. He then successfully defended it 5 times in a row, against Hayato Sakurai, Carlos Newton (again), Gil Castillo, Sean Sherk, and Frank Trigg. He lost it in his next fight to BJ Penn. Penn got stripped for breach of contract (fighting in Japan while holding the belt), he then faught Renato Verissimo in a non-title bout right around the time BJ fought Ludwig, then after he won that he faught GSP for the vacant title, beat him, then went on to defend it 3 more times against Frank Trigg, Royce Gracie, and BJ Penn. And he beat Riggs too but Riggs didn't make weight so it wasn't technically a title fight and he was a replacement for Karo anyway. Then of course he lost it again against GSP.

He won the belt in 2001 when he beat Carlos Newton for the first time. He then successfully defended it 5 times in a row, against Hayato Sakurai, Carlos Newton (again), Gil Castillo, Sean Sherk, and Frank Trigg. He lost it in his next fight to BJ Penn. Penn got stripped for breach of contract (fighting in Japan while holding the belt), he then faught Renato Verissimo in a non-title bout right around the time BJ fought Ludwig, then after he won that he faught GSP for the vacant title, beat him, then went on to defend it 3 more times against Frank Trigg, Royce Gracie, and BJ Penn. And he beat Riggs too but Riggs didn't make weight so it wasn't technically a title fight and he was a replacement for Karo anyway. Then of course he lost it again against GSP.

Clear enough?

I think the question was, where does the 9 times champion come from? He won the WW title twice in the UFC, does he have 7 more titles win in other organizations? I understand that he defended the WW title a bunch of time in the UFC but only won it twice. Are people calling him a 9 times champion because he won and defended the tile 9 times?

I think the question was, where does the 9 times champion come from? He won the WW title twice in the UFC, does he have 7 more titles win in other organizations? I understand that he defended the WW title a bunch of time in the UFC but only won it twice. Are people calling him a 9 times champion because he won and defended the tile 9 times?

good question. technically speaking, hughes is a 2-time champion because he has won the belt twice. but people seem to call him 9-time champion because he defended his belt alot too. even though it doesn't work that way, people go with it anyways because it sounds cool.